This is our copycat, homemade version of the beloved Costco Almond Poppy Seed Muffins. The buttermilk keeps them soft and moist, while the almond extract, vanilla, and hint of lemon zest give them that classic bakery-style flavor.
We shrunk them down to regular size, so they’re perfect for a quick breakfast on the go or an easy snack. They’re just as good (if not better!) than the original.
Why You’ll Love This Easy Muffin Recipe
- Normal-sized muffins for single servings (instead of jumbo size)
- Soft and moist bakery-style muffin
- Easy to follow instructions, simple ingredients
- Freezer-friendly for a quick grab-and-go breakfast
Key ingredient notes for Almond Poppy Seed Muffins
- All-purpose flour: We keep this recipe simple and accessible by using your everyday, all-purpose flour. It has not been tested with gluten-free flour, but it should work – let us know if you try it out!
- Baking soda and baking powder: the combination of BOTH of these ingredients gives it the right texture (not too dense) and the right flavor (not too acidic).
- Extracts: we use almond extract, vanilla, and a little bit of lemon zest for the perfect blend of flavors. If you want stronger lemon flavor, go ahead and sub out the vanilla extract for lemon extract.
- Buttermilk: this helps break down the gluten in the flour for a softer, lighter muffin texture.
How to make almond poppy seed muffins
These muffins are not the same size as the original Costco muffins. These use a standard muffin tin size, so you can enjoy them without feeling like you had an entire cake for breakfast.
- Mix together dry ingredients. Whisk together your flour, leavening agents, salt, and sugar so everything is evenly distributed.
- Mix together wet ingredients. In a bigger bowl, cream together your butter and eggs first, then extracts, zest, and buttermilk.
- Fold ingredients together. Fold your dry ingredients carefully into your wet ingredients (don’t overmix!). The texture may still be slightly lumpy – that’s what you want. If it’s completely smooth like a cake batter, you’ve mixed too much. Fold in Poppy Seeds.
- Bake. Fill each muffin tin ¾ of the way full. Use a cookie scoop to make them uniform in size. Top with sliced almonds (optional) and then bake for 15-18 minutes.
- Enjoy! Remove from the oven and transfer the muffins to a cooling rack. Let them cool and then enjoy.
Tips for the best muffin texture
- Like cookies, it’s very important you don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing will lead to denser, chewier muffins. The texture of the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy (not smooth!).
- Fill muffin tins at least ¾ of the way full. These are regular size (not jumbo) muffins, but we still want that bakery-style fullness.
- To prevent bottoms that are too browned, transfer the muffins after cooking. We like to move them pretty quickly, usually within 5 minutes of taking them out of the oven.
Almond Poppy Seed Muffin FAQs
Once cooled, transfer these muffins to an airtight container. They can stay on the counter for up to 3 days.
Yes! To freeze, let the muffins cool then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw on the counter overnight in an airtight container for a quick breakfast on the go in the morning.
Dense muffins are usually a result of overmixing. Mix them by hand (not a hand mixer) and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients as gently as possible. Depending on your altitude, you may also need to adjust the amount of flour or liquid. Too much flour or not enough liquid will result in denser muffins. See tip above on texture for more info.
Yes. If you don’t like the taste of almond, or want to add a stronger lemon flavor, you can substitute lemon extract. It will give you more lemon flavor without the tartness of using lemon juice.
Yes, but you’ll want to add more acidity to the muffins to get the right rise and texture. Add 1 ½ teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar to the ½ cup of milk and let it sit for about ten minutes before adding it to the recipe.
More Easy Muffin Recipes You’ll Love:
- Mini Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Banana Crumb Muffins (you could add this crumb topping to these muffins, too!)
- Chocolate Protein Muffins
Almond Poppy Seed Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 Tablespoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds
- Sliced almonds, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream together butter and eggs. Add almond extract, vanilla extract, lemon zest and buttermilk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in poppy seeds until evenly distributed.
- Fill each muffin tin about ¾ of the way full. Top each muffin with a sprinkle of sliced almonds (optional).
- Bake for 15-18 minutes, until muffins are slightly golden on top or toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean with a few crumbles. Transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?We’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a review or a question in the comment section below the post.
